The present invention relates generally to the field of basketball goals, and, more particularly, to a new break-away basketball goal which has a roller bearing and detent latching mechanism which permits release of the rim when sufficient pressure is applied, and which structure prevents wear of the critical parts even under very heavy usage.
It is well known that during play of the game of basketball the rim or hoop portion of the goal may encounter a great deal of force from contact with a player's hand or arm as a ball is passed through the rim. It is not uncommon with older goals for the backboard to which the goal is attached to break, or for the goal rim to bend or parts thereof to separate during especially aggressive play. Of course, shattering of a glass backboard presents a certain amount of danger to the players and any sort of equipment breakage represents unwelcome expense to the relevant civic group, school or other owner organization or individual. Thus, many basketball goal structures have been developed to address this problem, with various degrees of success.
Previously, break-away basketball goals have been known which permit at least the rim portion of the goal to shift or "give" under sufficient downward pressure in order to avoid breakage or bending of the goal, backboard, or associated parts. It is to be understood that by "break-away" it is meant that the rim drops in a hinged fashion from the normal horizontal play position, but does not completely separate from its connection to the backboard of the goal.
Some goals have been known in which the rim portion will release downwardly to some extent upon application of a specific amount of force, and then the rim will return to its normally horizontal position for continued play. However, repetition of this cycle for any appreciable length of time will ordinarily cause wear of the latching mechanism which retains the rim in its normal place, and ultimately will result in sloppiness or "Play" in the structure, to the extent that the rim is not truly horizontal during play, or fails to return to play position altogether.
Sufficient degeneration of the latching structure may cause the basketball goal to fail to meet specific standards which are necessary for protection of the players, as well as for even-handedness, and are sometimes required, for example, by the National Basketball Association, for professional basketball teams, or by various school athletic associations. The present break-away goal features a new latching mechanism with a rolling ball and detent structure which will permit heavy usage for a great deal of time without noticeable wear of any critical parts.
Accordingly, it is among the several objects of the present invention to provide a basketball goal in which the rim portion can partially "break-away" from the backboard under a preselected amount of pressure and immediately thereafter return to its normal play position.
It is also among the objects of the present invention that the basketball goal having the features indicated be structured, and capable of being adjusted if necessary, in order to meet certain standards, for example for positioning and release pressure, that may be set by an organization for regulation of play under the organization's rules.
It is further among the objects of the present invention that the new basketball goal be capable of cycling through an unusually large number of releases and returns to normal play position without encountering a noticeable degree of wear of the parts forming the structure for release and return of the basketball goal rim.
Accordingly, in furtherance of the above objects, the present invention is, briefly, a basketball goal for use with a basketball backboard having a front surface, the basketball goal including a rigid annular rim which is normally disposed horizontally during play, a rigid metal plate fixed to the rigid annular rim and extending rearwardly therefrom in coplanar relationship thereto. The goal also includes a mounting bracket having at least a back wall and a top wall mounted on the front surface of the backboard by the backwall and pivotally connected to the rigid metal plate. A mechanism is provided for pivotally connecting the rigid metal plate to the bracket to thereby permit the rigid metal plate and rigid annular rim fixed thereto to pivot in relation to the backboard. A releasable latching mechanism is connected to the rigid metal plate and connected to the mounting bracket, and which permits tilting of the rigid annular rim from the normally horizontal play position thereof only when force of at least a certain preselected amount is placed upon the rigid annular rim. The goal also has connectors for connecting the releasable latching mechanism to the rigid metal plate and for connecting the releasable latching mechanism to the mounting bracket and structure for causing immediate return of the rigid annular rim to the normal horizontal play position after the latching mechanism has been released and the force causing such release has been removed.
Furthermore, the invention is, briefly, in a basketball goal for use with a basketball backboard having a front surface, a rigid annular rim which is normally disposed horizontally during play, and mounting structure for mounting the rim in pivotal, yieldable relationship to the backboard, the improvement including, in combination, structure including a position defining member, for engagement of the mounting structure, for defining a normal horizontal configuration of the rim but permitting yieldable displacement from the horizontal configuration upon the rim receiving a predetermined vertical displacement force downwardly upon the rim. Also included is pressure applying structure for urging a preselected pressure against the position defining member to maintain the normal horizontal configuration of the rim while permitting the displacement of the rim for break-away movement upon it receiving the vertical displacement force, and a rolling contact mechanism for interengaging the pressure applying structure and the position defining member, whereby the preselected pressure upon the position defining member only through rolling contact assures that the rim will be yieldably displaced by the vertical displacement force to a very high degree of accuracy and repeatability.
Further objects will become in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.